# MLB Playoffs **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 5, 2012, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-playoffs/636791 "2012-10-05T11:22:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-playoffs/636791/101 "2012-10-09T01:54:04Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > Ichiro just scored on a crazy play in the first inning. Trying to score from first on a Cano double, the relay beat him in plenty of time, but it was up the line a bit and he avoided the catcher’s tag twice while somehow getting the plate. At the time I wondered, isn’t there some limit on how far you can go to elude the tag? and after checking the MLB rules, ISTM that Ichiro should have been called out. MLB rule 7.08(a)(1) says: “Any runner is out when he runs more than three feet from his base path two avoid being tagged…A runner’s base path is established when the tag attempt occurs and is a straight line from the runner to the base he is attempting to reach safely…” Did Ichiro, after passing home plate while eluding the catcher’s tag, stay within a three-foot radius of home plate between then and e time he finally tagged the plate? I’d have to see the replay again, but I doubt it. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-playoffs/636791/102 "2012-10-09T02:05:53Z")
> [@cutman74](#): > > I’m feeling a bit worried that the Cardinals are gonna use up all of their offense on this game. It seems they’ve done this frequently this season. I wouldn’t be surprised to see an offensive slump after a performance like this. gosh, that would be tragic. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-playoffs/636791/103 "2012-10-09T07:53:35Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Bronson Arroyo pitched an amazing game last night as the Reds trounced the Giants 9-0 to take the 2-0 series lead heading back to Cincinnati tomorrow night for game 3. Great American Ballpark is going to be ROCKING tomorrow night! > > So proud of the Reds. They have played really well. Congratulations to Dusty and the Reds for playing great so far. The Giants have a big hole, if they’re ever going to climb out of it. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-playoffs/636791/104 "2012-10-09T08:07:37Z")
> [@Carmady](#): > > I’m saddened but not really surprised at the Giants. > > Their pitching has ranged from shaky to awful for a while now. Part of that was obscured by a run-suppressing park, and part by memories of years past. > > They ranked dead last in MLB in home runs. Again… partially the park. But they were 13 home runs behind the second to last place team. And they managed to make the top 10 in 2010, in the same park. What really surprises me is that Bruce Bochy decided to put all five starters on the roster for this series. I mean - _ **c’mon!** _ - not all three of Lincecum, Zito and Vogelsong deserved to take up roster spots in a 5-game series on a team that struggles with hitting. If it were my call, keep Zito and leave the others. Yes, leave Lincecum off the playoff roster, at least for this series. Another thing: they brought Aubrey Huff as a left-handed batter to pinch hit! This isn’t the Aubrey Huff of 2010 (.290 BA and 86 RBIs). This is the Aubrey Huff of 2012 (.192 BA and 7 RBIs)! No wonder they can’t hit! Who to bring instead of Aubrey Huff? How about Francisco Peguero? Sure, he’s hitting only .188 but Peguero brings speed on the base paths, as a pinch runner. _ **Oh wait, a hitter has to get a hit before you can pinch run for him. Okay, forget that logic.** _ ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-playoffs/636791/105 "2012-10-09T10:56:29Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > At the time I wondered, isn’t there some limit on how far you can go to elude the tag? and after checking the MLB rules, ISTM that Ichiro should have been called out. MLB rule 7.08(a)(1) says: “Any runner is out when he runs more than three feet from his base path two avoid being tagged…A runner’s base path is established when the tag attempt occurs and is a straight line from the runner to the base he is attempting to reach safely…” > > Did Ichiro, after passing home plate while eluding the catcher’s tag, stay within a three-foot radius of home plate between then and e time he finally tagged the plate? I’d have to see the replay again, but I doubt it. It’s hard to say. I looked at a YouTube clip and it’s pretty close. Probably too close to call him out. In the end it didn’t affect the outcome of the game, so that’s good. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-playoffs/636791/106 "2012-10-09T10:58:29Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > At the time I wondered, isn’t there some limit on how far you can go to elude the tag? and after checking the MLB rules, ISTM that Ichiro should have been called out. MLB rule 7.08(a)(1) says: “Any runner is out when he runs more than three feet from his base path two avoid being tagged…A runner’s base path is established when the tag attempt occurs and is a straight line from the runner to the base he is attempting to reach safely…” > > Did Ichiro, after passing home plate while eluding the catcher’s tag, stay within a three-foot radius of home plate between then and e time he finally tagged the plate? I’d have to see the replay again, but I doubt it. It wasn’t even close. He was WAY outside any 3-foot circle around the plate as he looped around behind the plate. Unless that rule means something way different from its apparent meaning, he should have been called out. Good thing it didn’t affect the outcome. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-playoffs/636791/107 "2012-10-09T11:04:33Z")
I thought the same as RTF here–how much further could Ichiro have run out of the baseline before he was called out for that alone? I think it must have been inches–otherwise a good broken field runner could just run halfway to Towson and back and hope to juke the Yankee catcher when he gets close to the plate. I would have liked to see Ichiro called out there. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-playoffs/636791/108 "2012-10-09T11:23:19Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > It’s hard to say. I looked at a YouTube clip and it’s pretty close. Probably too close to call him out. In the end it didn’t affect the outcome of the game, so that’s good. The box that the catcher sets up in extends 8 feet behind the rear corner of home plate, according to Diagram 2 accompanying Rule 1.05 in the MLB rule book. Ichiro was treading the back line of that box as he made his circuit around the plate, if you look at the video. So he was more than just marginally outside the three foot radius - and I agree that you’d hate to see a guy called out for being four feet away rather than three. But this was eight feet rather than three. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-playoffs/636791/109 "2012-10-09T11:32:43Z")
My apologies for the absence of links, btw. I’m on vacation, and my limited Web access is via an iPad which is a new experience for me. I have no idea how to copy a URL, for instance. At any rate, google ‘MLB rules’ for the rule book (biggish PDF)’ and for now, the vid is at a link off the game story on the MLB site titled something like ‘Ichiro makes like “The Matrix”’. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-playoffs/636791/110 "2012-10-09T12:00:46Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > I thought the same as RTF here–how much further could Ichiro have run out of the baseline before he was called out for that alone? I think it must have been inches–otherwise a good broken field runner could just run halfway to Towson and back and hope to juke the Yankee catcher when he gets close to the plate. I would have liked to see Ichiro called out there. I think a base runner should be able to run anywhere within the confines of the park between bases, but only if they play Yakkity Sax from the Benny Hill Show while the fielders chase him. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-playoffs/636791/111 "2012-10-09T12:02:22Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > The box that the catcher sets up in extends 8 feet behind the rear corner of home plate, according to Diagram 2 accompanying Rule 1.05 in the MLB rule book. Ichiro was treading the back line of that box as he made his circuit around the plate, if you look at the video. So he was more than just marginally outside the three foot radius - and I agree that you’d hate to see a guy called out for being four feet away rather than three. But this was eight feet rather than three. He definitely steps on the back line, and then plants a foot in the corner between the back line and the lefty batter box. I didn’t realize that box went back 8 feet. So, yeah, I’d say he could have been called out there. Not sure if any leeway is given at the plate rather than between bases. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-playoffs/636791/112 "2012-10-09T13:47:25Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > He definitely steps on the back line, and then plants a foot in the corner between the back line and the lefty batter box. I didn’t realize that box went back 8 feet. So, yeah, I’d say he could have been called out there. Not sure if any leeway is given at the plate rather than between bases. It’s when he avoids the initial tag that he might have been out of the basepath(if that even applies at the plate), it’s his momentum that carries him to the back of the catcher’s box. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-playoffs/636791/113 "2012-10-09T14:00:28Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > It’s when he avoids the initial tag that he might have been out of the basepath(if that even applies at the plate), it’s his momentum that carries him to the back of the catcher’s box. Are you saying that if he stays in the basepath initially but then his momentum carries him to Cleveland, he’s good? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-playoffs/636791/114 "2012-10-09T14:11:32Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > Are you saying that if he stays in the basepath initially but then his momentum carries him to Cleveland, he’s good? He had already avoided the tag, he was not avoiding the tag as he went past the plate. Watch any runner rounding first, he certainly leaves the basepath but if he’s not avoiding a tag, he’s good. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-playoffs/636791/115 "2012-10-09T15:27:33Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > He had already avoided the tag, he was not avoiding the tag as he went past the plate. > Watch any runner rounding first, he certainly leaves the basepath but if he’s not avoiding a tag, he’s good. Exactly! Per the rule, what the tag attempt does is define the runner’s basepath. The runner rounding first with nobody trying to tag him has no basepath to be out of, so it’s all good. But once the tag attempt is made, his basepath is defined, and he can’t stray more than 3 feet from it. That’s the only role of the tag attempt that the rule states. Whether or not the defensive players continue to try to tag him, he must stay within three feet of his basepath. He didn’t. Anyway, it didn’t affect the outcome, thank goodness. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-playoffs/636791/116 "2012-10-10T01:26:02Z")
Lucky assed Giants. Damn if not for Rolen’s booted ball…Homer Bailey (and Vogelsong) pitched well… ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-playoffs/636791/117 "2012-10-10T01:30:42Z")
Is Prince Fielder fatter than he used to me? God, he’s huge. I’ve never seen a fatter ballplayer. ---
**Author:** ![kevja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@kevja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevja)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-playoffs/636791/118 "2012-10-10T01:35:42Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Is Prince Fielder fatter than he used to me? God, he’s huge. I’ve never seen a fatter ballplayer. His father? ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-playoffs/636791/119 "2012-10-10T01:56:35Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Is Prince Fielder fatter than he used to me? God, he’s huge. I’ve never seen a fatter ballplayer. Pablo Sandoval? My wife and I, quite fat ourselves, make constant jokes about how he must’ve had to take a brownie break between second and third, or how he must have thought that line drive that hugged the foul line was a Hostess Snowball, the way he knocked it down. Or maybe [CC Sabathia](http://www.theonion.com/articles/cc-sabathia-prince-fielder-keep-imagining-each-oth,2493/)? [Prince is big, though](http://www.theonion.com/articles/prince-fielder-urges-rookie-to-choke-up-on-burrito,28159/). ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-playoffs/636791/120 "2012-10-10T02:10:42Z")
Mo Vaughn got pretty huge as the years went by. Jonanthan Broxton is 6-4, 295, basically the size of an NFL defensive tackle. Then of course, there’s [David Wells](http://cache.deadspin.com/assets/images/11/2009/06/Wells3.jpg). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-playoffs/636791.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-playoffs/636791.md?page=7)